FIG. 1 illustrates an encapsulated wire-bonded die 100. The die 104 is bonded to a substrate 102 by a layer of adhesive 106, and the die is connected to the substrate by a plurality of wires 108. The die 104 and the wires 108 are surrounded by a mold cap 110 that protects them from environmental contamination, mechanical forces, and other elements which could damage them. Because the mold cap 110 encapsulates and surrounds the wires 108, it cannot be electrically conductive; if it were, it would cause a short circuit between wires. Materials that are not electrically conductive are generally also not thermally conductive, meaning that although the mold cap 110 helps the wire-bonded assembly by protecting it from environmental conditions, it also hinders the wire-bonded die by preventing the escape of heat generated by the die. Where the amount of power consumed by the die is small, the mold cap 110 allows sufficient heat transfer that the temperature of the die does not increase enough to cause it any damage. As the amount of power consumed by the die—and, consequently, the amount of heat generated by the die—increases, the inability of the mold cap 110 to transfer significant amounts of heat away from the die leads to large increases in the operating temperature of the die. If the die temperature becomes too high, it could cause the die to malfunction or fail completely.